Calabaza con Pollo

By Holly
Yield 4 servings

Calabaza con Pollo is a delicious soup served up as a main dish not only because it contains a wide variety of vegetables and lean chicken but also because it’s packed with vitamins and minerals. For those with a tomato sensitivity, this recipe works well if they’re left out. If you’d like a punch of flavor, add hatch chilis and cayenne pepper. Use this dish as an appetizer, too, if you’re hosting a party.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon(s) coconut oil
• 1 piece(s) chicken, whole (2.5-3 lbs) cut up (skin-on, bone-in)
• 1 medium onion(s) diced
• 1/2 medium bell pepper(s) sliced
• 2 medium garlic clove(s) pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) cumin
• 1 can(s) tomatoes, diced (16 oz)
• 1 teaspoon(s) sea salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon(s) black pepper freshly ground, to taste
• 1 medium calabaza seeded and diced into 1 inch pieces, can also use pumpkin or winter squash

Method:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add coconut oil when hot.
2. Add chicken and saute until well browned (about 10 minutes). Remove chicken to plate.
3. Keep pan on burner and add 2 cups of water, scraping the pan to remove any flavorful bits at the bottom of the pan. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, remove the bones from the cooked chicken. Save the meat, and discard the bones (or freeze them to use in chicken stock at another time).
5. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the simmering chicken fat, and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add tomatoes, sea salt (if desired), black pepper, and cumin, and cook for about 5 more minutes.
7. Return chicken to the skillet, and add calabaza. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until calabaza is slightly tender and chicken is fully cooked.